A Sin
by Shelly LeBlanc
Summary: Harry Potter was in big trouble: more trouble than school, more trouble than the Dursley’s, more trouble than even Voldemort… which was saying a lot, what with Harry’s past with the Dark Lord and all. Many would ask what sort of trouble the Boy-Who


A Sin  
  
Harry Potter was in trouble, big trouble: more trouble than school, more trouble than the Dursley's, more trouble than even Voldemort. which was saying a lot, what with Harry's past with the Dark Lord and all. Many would ask what sort of trouble the Boy-Who-Lived could not handle?  
  
Harry had girl trouble.  
  
Yes, it was an everyday problem adolescence had to face. Boy likes girl, girl likes boy. Secrets, flirting, the shy exchange of looks filled teenagers lives: This was the trouble which was filling Harry's already busy life.  
  
Harry was totally, without a doubt, arse-over-elbows in love with a fellow student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He had the tingles shooting throughout his body, the flip-flop of his stomach whenever he saw her, the lightness in his head when he passed by her and smelled her scent. It was intoxicating.  
  
Why was this a problem? Harry was sure that she would never feel the same way about him. She was too sensible to fall in love with anybody, especially now. It was her sixth year, just like his, and she was a prefect. She wouldn't do anything to jeopardise her chances as Head Girl with a boyfriend, even though she had little competition.  
  
Harry felt bad for not telling his crush about his feelings; it felt like he was lying to her and Harry hated lying to that pretty face.  
  
But who would be the best person to ask about this problem? Harry had a long list of friends and close companions that he could ask, but as he went through it, the number of people he would even be able to ask was slim to none.  
  
The first person he thought to ask was his best friend, Ron. Ron had a few girlfriends the past two years. He was currently dating Lavender Brown, who he had dated once in fifth year. They had decided that they were more mature, thus ready for the relationship now, though Harry was unsure. However, Ron would be the type of person to make Harry tell her about the crush. Ever since Ron made Keeper on the Quidditch team, he was filled with a new sort of confidence. Ron would even walk up to the girl and tell her about Harry's unrequited love, so that marked him off.  
  
He thought about the other boys in his year, but they were a no go. Dean and Seamus would only make fun of him, and Neville had no girl experience except for Ginny, whom he had been dating since the beginning of that year (of which Ron was a little peeved.)  
  
Harry then thought to ask Ginny about this, but she still had a small flame for him. She would only turn beet red and run off.  
  
Lavender and Pavarti Patil were out of the question; they would just giggle and spread the word that he was in love faster than Professor Snape could give him detention.  
  
Cho Chang would have been a good chance, but since the "rumour" that Harry had had a thing for her his third through fifth year, he did not want to hurt her by saying that he didn't have a thing for her anymore. (Remember that Cho is not in Harry's year. She may be in her 7th year during this time, but I'm not sure.)  
  
Harry then thought about asking one of the Professors, over the past few years, he had gained a high respect for some of them. But (that idea?) looked like hell too.  
  
Professor McGonagall would fuss at him about worrying more over a girl than studies (Harry was sure she would have given him advice, but she still intimidated him a bit.) Harry would drop dead before asking Snape anything, and he would feel somewhat silly bothering Headmaster Dumbledore for anything less than a burning scar.  
  
Sirius was also out of the question. He was still on a mission for Dumbledore and had told Harry not to send any return owls to him until further notice.  
  
That left only one person, and she was the person he was admiring from a not so distant distance, Hermione Granger.  
  
It was bad enough that it was one of his best friends, but to know she wasn't interested in a relationship hurt as well.  
  
If he did not name names, maybe Harry could pull this off. He could just ask her how to get over a crush, that was all.He didn't have to tell her, right? Oh, god.  
  
"Hermione?" He heard his voice ask her, and it wavered a bit. They were in the almost empty Gryffindor common room, with only two other people left in the room besides them. Hermione was sitting next to the fire, reading a book he was sure she had read about ten times before. She looked up and smiled at him.  
  
"Hello, Harry. Have a seat." Harry did what he was told and sat down in the chair next to her, looking at everything at the room but her. Being the Hermione he knew she was, she noticed this and put down her book. "Are you all right?"  
  
Harry nodded a little, shaking his knees slightly before letting out a sigh. "No, er, actually.I'm not."  
  
"What is it, then?" Hermione asked giving him worried look.  
  
"I'm.er, in trouble.kind of."  
  
"Harry! What kind of trouble? Have you been having dreams again? Is your scar hurting? We should get you to Dumbledore!"  
  
Harry stopped her as she rose from the chair in near panic. "No! Not like that.er, I'm having.I'm having.girl trouble."  
  
Hermione stared at him with a blank look on her face before sitting back with slight relief on her face. "Oh.Cho?"  
  
Harry blinked. "No.I only like her as a friend.there's.there's someone else."  
  
Her eyes widen. "Really? Who?"  
  
Harry blushed to a pink colour. "I don't want to say, really."  
  
"Oh.okay," Hermione said, biting her lip. "What do you need help with?"  
  
"Um.how do I get over a crush?" Harry asked, watching her reaction.  
  
"Over a crush? Harry, why would you want to get over a crush? You should tell her."  
  
"But what if she didn't have feelings for me, which I can bet she doesn't."  
  
Hermione paused before asking. "How can you be sure she doesn't have feelings for you?"  
  
Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Because I do.I mean, why would she have feelings for me. I mean besides the fact of my unfortunate fame, but she's not into that. I mean, I'm nothing compared to her, really."  
  
For a brief second, Harry though he saw a tear in Hermione's eye, but it disappeared just like that, making him think it was just in his mind.  
  
"Harry. You oaf! How can you think that you can't compare with anybody? You're smart-"  
  
"You're smart, I'm average."  
  
"No you're not. You're brave."  
  
"So are you."  
  
"You're very cute and you have a nice body."  
  
"I what? No way, I'm just skinny. You're the cute one."  
  
"And you are one hell of a Quidditch player."  
  
"Only 'cos you are afraid of heights."  
  
"When did this turn into me?"  
  
Harry blushed again. "Er, sorry.but really.she's really special.I just have a freakin' scar. I'm really nothing."  
  
Determinations filled Hermione's chocolate eyes. "Harry Potter! You are so pig-headed and blind! I dare say it is a sin for the girl not to like you."  
  
Harry blinked. "A sin?"  
  
"Yes, a sin. Now go tell the bloody girl you like her, and if she doesn't say she likes you back, tell me and I will wallop her."  
  
Harry sat back, staring at the girl in front of him. Anger was in her eyes, and it made her more beautiful to him. She shouldn't be this angry, right? If she just liked him as a friend, she wouldn't be like this.  
  
Harry took a chance. "Are you sinning?"  
  
Hermione jerked back, eyes opened wide with confusion. "What?"  
  
Harry smiled a smile that he hoped was charming. "Are you sinning.you said it was a sin for a girl not to like me."  
  
Hermione's eye lashes batted against her cheek at an alarming rate. "Wha-I mean.I said for the girl, not all girls." That settled it for Harry, for the deep red of this girl's face was not because of the fire.  
  
"I know."  
  
Harry knew it hit her then. She gave another jolt of surprise, but understanding filled her eyes instead. "Harry?"  
  
"Hermione, I think I'm in love with you."  
  
She stared at him for a good minute before she answered.  
  
"You big oaf! How could you think that you couldn't compare to me?" She asked him before jumping out of her chair and planted a kiss right smack on his lips.  
  
The action caught Harry by surprise. Hermione smiled at him, trying to suppress a giggle.  
  
"Because you're everything, Hermione. I mean it." Harry was sure then that tears were in her eyes, and he leaned up to kiss her. When their lips met, it was better than the first kiss.  
  
Harry knew then. It wasn't a sin to not like him, it was a sin to wait this long to feel this.  
  
The End 


End file.
